Current take-off clamp



Nov. 8, 1927.

' A. L. SAWYER CURRENT TAKE- OFF CLAMP Filed Sept.. 18,v 1926 Patented Nov. 8, 1927.

ALBERT L. SAVYER, 0F OLD TOWN, MAINE.

CURRENT TAKE-OFF CLAMP.

Application inea september is, ieee., sei-iai No. 136,272.

means being detachable after the clamp is in place on a conductor.

A more specific object is to provide a. clamping device of this character having spring means for normally holding it in clamping engagement upon a conductor and having screw operated cam means for effecting release or disengagement from the conductor.

Still another object is to provide a device of this character in which thevparts are so arranged as to avoid any appreciable heating eifects on the spring,` thereby eliminating any deteriorating results which might occur.

An additional Objectis the provision of a clamp of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply or remove, positive'in action, efficient and .durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

`With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention preferably consists in the arrangement andcoinbination of parts and detailed structural features to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the device in actual use and illustrating the 4act of engaging it upon or releasing it from a conductor,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the clamp on a much largerscale showing it in released position,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the clamp showingtheoperating'means removed land the parts in operative or clamping relation, and

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 to show the shape of the cam member. f

Referring more vparticularly to the drawings, 1 Ahaveshpwii the device as comprising a body member 10 of suitable size and shape as well as material, though the bodymust necessarily be of metal so as to be 'aconductor of electricity. Obviously, this member may conveniently be formed as a casting and it is here represented as provided atone side with ears 11 between which is pivoted, at 12, 'a clamping plate 13 normally urged toward the body 10 as by means ofia coil spring; 14 surroundinga bolt or pin 15 which extends through an opening 16 in the plate 13 and which is suitably anchored to th body. This pin or bolt has a head 17 constituting an abutment forvone end` of the spring, the other end of which engages against the outer face or surface of the clamping plate 13. While it is conceivable that any suitable anchoring means may .be provided for holding the pin or bolt with respect to the body, the body is here shown as having a hole 18 through Awhich the vpin or bolt extends, a cotter or other transverse element 19 passing through thev pin or bolt as clearly indicated in Figure 3 for holding the parts against accidental separation. rihe device is intended to be clampingly engaged upon a conductor A andit is preferable that the body 0r clamping plate 13, or both, be provided with a groove or notch2Q within which the conductor may be engaged.

The device is intended for use upon high tension conductors which, as illustrated in Figure 1, are generally suspended some distance above the ground, and for this reason l malte use of a pole 21 of suitable length carrying a head 22 from whichvprojects a stem 23terminating in a reduced ythreaded extension 24. At the base of the steiny is provided an enlargement 25 which defines av should r 26, and` the extensionV 24 is preferably provided with a guide tip 27. The body 10 is provided with laterally extending vertically spaced arms 28 and 29, the former of which is provided with a sinooth hole 30 of a size to receive the stem 23, and the latter of which is formed with a threaded hole 31 to receive the threaded extension 24, the tip 27 serving as a guide to facilitate connection of the head on the pole with the clamping device.

The body has connected therewith a `conductor 32 which may be held in any desired manner as for instance by being engaged within a socket 33 in the body and clamped by set screws 34 or the like. This conductor 32 is of course intended to bel connected with Y may be released, l provide a cam member 85' snaps into the groove or notch 20. "ei-liter' then rotates the pole to unscrew the v threaded extension 24 trom nuthin the h pivoted at 36 within an opening 3'? in th body lO and having; a curved surface 8S adapted to be brought into engagement with the inner face ot the clamping plate 13.- V'ihe' other end oit the cani is 'formed with :i

ives the reduced caten-V torl; which rece sion 2stv and which is adapted to be engaged by the shoulderY l0 ait the juncture oi the stem 23 with the extension 2t so that when thepole is rotated in a clockwise direction the clam will be roclr'edupo'n its pivot 55v and will swing the clamping'v plate 13 out-- wardly or away from the body l to disen- "gage the conductor A,

It is of course clear that the device may be used in connection with any overhead conductors whether thel current l carried thereby have a low ror high tension and in Figure l I have clearly illustrated the manner in which the device is employed. Nat` urally there are no restrictions as to the type of mechanism or apparatus to be operated,that disclosed at B in Figure l being simply :for purposes oi illustration.

Assuming that it is intended to engage the devicefupon a conductor, it is mounted' upon the pole by engaging' .the stem 23 and reduced extension 2li within the holes in the arms 28 and 29, the threaded extension 24 being screwed into the holebi only partly sovthat the cam 35 will be in its ncri'nal or idle Vposition as shown in Figurev 3. The operator then manipulates the pole to bring the device over the conductor A and then pulls 'downwardly upon it so that the conductor will be forced to enter between the body and the clamping` plate 13. lt will be noted that the lower or free vend of the plate lis curved away vfrom the body, to

define a flaring entrance opening` l-l to the `space between the clamping plate and the body. Vhen the device is pulled down onto 'the conductor, the spring M is compressed and the conductor is moved along until it The oplll and the pole, l'with the head thereon, is thendetached from the clamp'ingdevice by the simple method of pulling it away. 'l`he sp 'ing lll provides the 'necessary' Vtension means for holding ythe conductor A llirmly clamped.

"ffl/Vhen it desired to disengage the de- 'v'c'e remjthe lconductor the operator manipulates the pole properlyso that thezh'ead v"thereon may becon'nected with thef'clam,

device, 'the/extension ,'24 being passed hole 3l, and the stem- 23 entering the'hole SO. The operator turnsA the pole in clockwise direction to bring the shoulder /lO into engagement with the fork 39 so that the cam will be rocked to bring the face 38 thereof against lthe clamping plate 13 to move thelatter away from the conductor. The operaterthenA lifts the device otl from the conductor.

From the foregoing description and a study ol? the drawing it will be apparent that l have thus provid-ed a simply constr-noted, inexpensive and yet very etticient device "for the purpose specilied and one which will be agreat time and labor saver whenever it is desired to tap a line wire for taking oli current. It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent'to one slrilled intheart without further explanation. y

TWhile Iha've shown and described apreterred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that 1l reserve the right to maire such changes in the torni, construction an-darrangement of parte as will not" depart from the spirit of the inven- JLion or the scope ot the subjoined.claims` Having thus described the invention, l claim: c

l. ln a device of the character described, a body member, a spring pressed clamping plate cooperating therewit i, means mounted on the body member' normally outy of en- Y gagement with the clamping ymembergand movable to release the latter, and means Connectible with' the body member for handling` the same .and controlling said releasing means from a. remote point. Y

2. rlChe combination of aclampingdevice comprising; a body member and a spring 1 pressed member movably connected therewith, a cam carried by Ithe body member and movable to engage said movable member for moving it away from the body member, .a handle device adapted ,to beengaged with the body and to be disengaged therefrom, and means on the handle device for moving lsaidcam.

3. A clamping device of the character described comprising;` a body member, a clampingvr plate pivoted thereon, spring .means urging said. clamping plate toward the body into clamping relation thereto, in

i combination with `a handle member carrying a head, saidlliead being detachably connectible with the body, and meansoperableby movement ot said head toswing: 'said clampiinejmember away `from thebody.

fil. A4 lclamping device of theY charactm described comprising` a, body `member, a

lao

ible with the body, and means operable by movement of said head to swing said clamping member away from the body, said means comprising a cam pivoted on the body and movable into engagement with the clamping member, said cam having a portion engageable by said head to be moved thereby.

5. In combination, a clamping device comprising a body formed with spaced arms, one arm having a threaded opening therein and the other having a smooth opening, a spring pressed plate member pivotedvon the body and cooperating 'therewith to define a clamp, a cam pivoted on the body and adapted to engage the plate for moving the l same out of clamping relation to the body,

the body, spring means urging said plate member into clamping relation to the body, said body having an opening therein,

' I a cam pivoted Within the opening and normally out of engagement with said pivoted plate member, in combination with a handle carrying a head having a stem portion slidably engageable through said smooth hole and having a reduced threaded eXtension adapted to be screwed into said threaded hole, and a shoulder engageable with the cam for swinging the same to release the clamping member.

7. In a device of thecharacter described, a body having spaced arms thereon, .one having a smooth opening and the other a threaded hole, a plate member pivoted von Vthe body, spring means urging said plate member into clamping relation to the body,

said body having'an opening therein, a cam,

pivoted within the opening and normally out of engagement with said pivoted plate member, in combination with a` handle carrying a head having a stem portion slidably engageable through said smooth holeand having a reduced threaded eXtension adapted to be screwed into said threaded hole, and a shoulder engageable with the cam for swinging the vsame to release the clamping member, the camA having a fork accommodating said reduced extension and disposed in the path of movement of said shoulder. y

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

ALBERT L. SAWYER. 

